A-Rod feat backs N.Y. into a corner

commentary

Wallace Matthews, Newsday

Published 4:00 am, Sunday, September 9, 2007

- Just give him his money, OK?

The negotiations for the services of Alex Rodriguez ended Wednesday night at about 9 p.m, when he hit Jarrod Washburn's 3-2 fastball out of the park leading off the seventh inning to tie the Yankees-Mariners game at 2.

The price went up exponentially about a half-hour later when, batting for the second time in the inning, Rodriguez lined Brandon Morrow's first pitch into the lower left-field seats to cap an eight-run explosion. His final line: One MRI, two home runs, two curtain calls in the same inning, a Yankee Stadium record that truly will never be broken - anyone care to try for three? - and one general manager absolutely at the mercy of a tenacious ballplayer with an even more tenacious agent.

And how much should we make the check out for, Mr. Boras?

In one of the most dramatic performances by a New York athletes since Reggie hit three home runs on three pitches, A-Rod melded elements of Willis Reed, Kirk Gibson and the one and only Mr. October to create a September night to remember at Yankee Stadium.

Three hours before the game, he was limping on an ankle rendered swollen and sore by the bulk of Adrian Beltre, who had rolled over onto it Tuesday night. Soon afterward, he was being hustled, against his will, across the river to Columbia-Presbyterian Hospital, and at 5:15 was surrounded not by fans or teammates but by the inside of an MRI cylinder.

At 6, he was back at the Stadium jogging gingerly in the outfield, and at 6:05 he was skipping past a group of reporters gathered outside the door of the Yankee clubhouse, saying, "I got to go talk to the manager."

He was in the lineup, out of it, then back in it again, only this time as the DH, not the third baseman. And before his night was over, the guy who could barely walk was able to bound up the dugout steps twice to acknowledge the chants of "MVP!" from the crowd.

"I can't even relate to it," said Derek Jeter, who was reduced to open-mouthed fanhood, flapping his hands together like a seal waiting for lunch as Rodriguez crossed the plate following the second home run. "It's unbelievable. I haven't seen anything like that in all my years of playing."

With the two homers, numbers 47 and 48, Rodriguez passed Mel Ott, another guy who hit off one foot, on the all-time home run list. More importantly for the Yankees, he established that for one of the few times in their recent history, the player will be in full control when it comes time to hash out a new deal.

A-Rod opted in Wednesday and he will certainly opt-out at the end of this season, in which his third MVP seems assured and 60 home runs clearly in reach.

Then it will be up to Brian Cashman and the Yankees, who have already declared they will not negotiate with A-Rod and Boras if they do, in fact, exercise the escape hatch in their contract, to swallow hard and produce the cash.

If Alex Rodriguez was worth a quarter of a billion dollars seven years ago, what will he be worth now?

The Yankees can only hope it will be a sum they can live with, because they no longer can afford not to pay it.

I know, two months ago I wrote that the Yankees would be better off letting Rodriguez walk and using the savings to shore up the pitching staff, but, like Cashman soon will, I reserve the right to change my mind.

To sell A-Rod the first time around, Boras wrote a 60-plus page prospectus detailing his assets to a ballclub. This time around, he may have to write the Encyclopedia Britannica. He may be the first agent of an American player to demand posting fees just to talk about A-Rod.

And Steve Phillips thought Boras had a lot of demands the last time? Wait till this time. He wanted a merchandising tent? How about an A-Rod store on 5th avenue. Private jet last time, Air Force One this time. An office on the stadium grounds last time? How about his name on the new stadium?

This time, Rodriguez and Boras are surely in the driver's seat, and they are about to drive right over the Yankees front office. They've gotten away with murder for the first four years of Rodriguez' deal, relieved of $10 million of A-Rod's salary by the Texas Rangers. That means they got the use of the best player in baseball for a little more than 60 cents on the dollar. All that is about to change.

If A-Rod was worth $27 million this year, how much will he be worth next year? Whatever it is, the Yankees will have no choice but to pay it. How will they explain to their fans that they can pay a 45-year-old Roger Clemens a pro-rated $28 million but can't scratch together enough for a 32-year-old A-Rod?

To think that there once was a time when it was believed the Yankees could never win a championship with Alex Rodriguez. Now, it is obvious they aren't winning anything without him.

For that alone, the Yankees better give him what he wants, when he wants it.